The present invention relates to live bait for fishing and, in particular, to a process for coating bait (e.g. larval and nymph stage bait) with a phosphorescent material such that the bait can phosphoresce when properly illuminated during fishing.
The most common fishing bait is live bait. The best type of bait depends upon the prey species, the body of water and the time of year. Some of the most common bait for fresh water fishing in the United States are minnows, leeches, crawfish, frogs, salamanders, grasshoppers, crickets, earth worms, night crawlers, wax worms, meal worms, maggots, spikes and grubs.
A variety of other baits and other larval and nymph forms of baits are also available. Live bait is typically sold in its natural state and coloration. The bait is trapped in the wild or on occasion is commercially raised under controlled conditions.
The principal attractant quality of live bait is believed to be the bait""s scent. Coloration and movement also serve as attractant qualities. The quality of the water, however, can limit the effects of coloration. Many artificial baits therefore use opaque colors that are arranged in non-natural patterns. The belief is that the exaggerated colors are more visible versus a purely natural pattern, although many recent lures are constructed with natural appearing finishes.
Because dark and stained water limit the visibility of any bait, attempts have been made to enhance and/or change the coloration of some live bait. Maggots and some worms for instance are sold in shades of red, green and yellow. These and other opaque colors are achieved by feeding colorized foods to the bait. The translucent bodies of the bait allow the colors to be visible and which condition can continue for a sufficient period of time to accommodate the bait storage and use cycle.
Attempts have also been made to dye bait. Dyes, however, are found to be generally toxic to most bait. Similarly, attempts to fully or partially cover live bait with vinyl mixtures (e.g. methyl isobutyl keytone, xylene mixtures) have proven toxic.
Luminous, phosphorescent artificial baits have also recently become very popular. These baits are manufactured to glow in different colors or color combinations. The belief is that fish are able to better distinguish such bait in dark and/or stained water. The phosphorescent materials are incorporated into the plastic lure bodies or painted onto the bodies. No phosphorescent live baits, however, are believed to exist.
The live bait of the present invention were developed to luminesce when subjected to light and to maintain this condition when immersed in water. The bait are treated in a fashion that is not toxic or detrimental to the health of the bait.
The bait are particularly colored with phosphorescent paint-like mixtures (e.g. luminescent pigment, carrier/adhesive) that are applied over a portion of the bait""s body, predominately the back. The body pores of the bait are thereby not substantially blocked from necessary oxygen transfer, secretions or other life sustaining functions. The mixtures appear to be non-toxic when externally applied to many larval forms of bait. The mixtures bond sufficiently to not flake or wash off during normal use. A variety of non-luminescent, opaque colors might also be applied in a similar fashion alone or in combination with the luminescent colorants.
It is a primary object of the invention to provide opaque and phosphorescent colorized live bait.
It is further object of the invention to colorize live bait with a painting process using luminous and/or opaque paints.
It is further object of the invention to colorize live bait with a luminous, colored pigment that is fixed to the bait with a sprayed clear carrier (e.g. polyurethane, lacquer, adhesive).
It is a further object of the invention to cure an applied carrier/pigment mixture and/or a dry applied colorant coated with a clear fixative to fix the colorant to the bait.
It is further object of the invention to colorize live bait with a luminous, colored pigment that is fixed to the bait with a sprayed clear carrier.
It is a further object of the invention to use an adhesive to bond the colorant to the live bait.
The foregoing objects, advantages and distinctions of the invention are obtained in several presently preferred processes. During initial preparations steps of each process, the individual bait is segregated to assure proper coating, for example, the bait is distributed in a container that limits bait motion and prevents overlapping to assure even coverage. The bait temperature is also raised to approximately room temperature.
In a first process, the backs of the bait are sprayed with a suspension mixture of a phosphorescent pigment (e.g. 30% glow powder and 70% carrier). The mixture is then cured, either at room temperature or by briefly subjecting the bait to a curing temperature, such as in the range of 80 to 110xc2x0 F. for 3 to 10 minutes to set the mixture.
In another process, a dry powder paint pigment is sprinkled over the bait. A clear coat material is then sprayed over the coated bait. The clear coating is then cured to bond the powder to the bait.
In other processes, an adhesive is applied with the mixture, dry powder pigment or carrier. The adhesive is then cured to bond the powder to the bait.
Still other objects, advantages, distinctions and constructions of the invention will become more apparent from the following description with respect to the appended drawings. Similar materials and process steps are referred to in the various drawings with similar alphanumeric reference characters. The description should not be literally construed in limitation of the invention. Rather, the invention should be interpreted within the broad scope of the further appended claims.